Mucking machine



July 6, 1943. A- R BlEDEsS v 2,323,368

MUCKING MACHINE original Filed Jan. 21, 19'41 5 sheets-sheet 1 A ANTHUNY ii. BIEnEss By A? TORN Julv 6, 1943. A. R. BIEDEss 2,323,368

MUCKING MACHINE n original Filed Jan. 21, 1 s sheets-Sheet 2 Z I N VEN TOR.

ANTI-101W R BIEDESS BY 'Y z gvx\\ ATTORNEY A. R. BIEDESS MUCKING MACHINE Julv 6, 1943.

Original Filed Jan. 2l, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 w\ Y um IN VEN TOR. ANTHONY R. BIEDEY@ ATTORNEY Patented July 6, 1943 v MUCKING MACHINE Anthony R. Biedess, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Original application January 21, 1941, Serial No. 375,214. Divided and this application June 10, 1942, Serial No. 446,439

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in mucking machines of the general type known as Conway machines, illustrated in Patent No. 1,514,008, issued to J. P. Mosier on November 4, 1924, which machines have been used extensively in tunnels or mines for shoveling rock or muck and delivering it to cars, and is a division of application Serial No. 375,214, led by me on January 21, 1941.

Among the objects of my invention is to provide an improved, simplified and more compact construction especially adapted for relatively small and lightweight machines of the above named type, and including a novel and improved form of cushioning device for the conveyor belt.

Still other objects of my invention will appear from time to time as the accompanying description proceeds.

The invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: f

Figure l is a view in side elevation of a mucking machine constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the boom in forward, crowding position (full lines) and in upward discharging position (dotted lines).

Figure 2 is a plan Viewcf the machine shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a detail plan view of the front end of the conveyer, with the hopper removed to show details of the cushioning device;

Figure 4 is a detail longitudinal section of the front end of the conveyer; l

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail of one of the spring mountings for the cushioning device at one side of the conveyer;

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 6--6 of Figure 3, showing the conveyer belt in normal, unloaded position; and

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6, but showing the conveyer belt in loaded position, with the cushioning device depressed.

Referring now to details of the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, the machine comprises generally a truck or main frame I0 mounted on track wheels II, II and axles I2, I2 and forming a support for a scoop I3 carried in advance thereof on a boom L4. Said scoop and boom are so arranged that said scoop may gather material in front of and to each side of the track by movement 0f the truck along the track, the scoop, when loaded, being swingable upwardly to discharge the material directly upon an upwardly inclined conveyer, indicated gener- The conveyer I5, as herein shown, includes a belt I6 trained about a drive roller I'I at the front end and an idler roller I8 at the rear end of said conveyer. Further details of the conveyer will hereinafter more fully appear.

The scoop I3 is pivoted at opposite sides on the boom I4 so as to be open forwardly with its digging lip 20 at a depressed angle as it is forced into the material, to gather the latter, as shown in full lines in Figure 1. The rear end 0f the boom is connected by a universal joint 2l at the front end of the truck so that the scoop can be swung for digging at various angles in front of the machine. The boom is swung upwardly for discharge on the front end of the conveyer I5, as indicated in dotted lines in the same figure. The scoop I3 is elevated to a discharge position and swung from side to side by means of a pair of cables 22, 22 connected to opopsite sides of the upper corners thereof. Said cables are wound on or payed oil of a pair of winding drums 23, 23 mounted on a transverse shaft 24.

From each of the drums 23, the cables 22 pass over horizontally journaled guide rollers 25, respectively mounted on a cross shaft 33 extending between upright support members 26 at the opposite sides of the truck, and overhanging the front end thereof. When both of the cables are wound in, the scoop Will be elevated directly to a discharge position. When it is desired to swing the scoop to one side or the other, power is applied to the winding drum on the side it is desired to swing. The general mode of operation of the scoop just described is similar to that employed in previous mucking machines of the Conway" type, excepting that in the present instance, the material is discharged from the scoop directly onto the conveyer, instead of being passed along an intermediate chute on the boom, and thence discharged onto the conveyer.

Referring now in detail to the novel form of conveyer and belt-cushioning device therefor, the conveyer indicated generally at I5 consists of a main or lower section B0 and an upper or rear extensible section 6I. 'Ihe lower section 60 has two tubular side frame members 62. 62, the front ends of which are each provided with an eye 63. which are connected to the upright supports 26,

26 adjacent the front end of the truck I0, as by means of a cross shaft 64 which in the form shown also supports the front drive roller II for the conveyer belt I6. A hopper 65 having flared front and side walls is suitably supported above the lower end of the conveyer, as by side brackets 66, 66, connected to the upright supports 28, 26.

The rear extensible section 6| of the conveyer includes a pair of side rods 61, 61, telescopically mounted in the rear ends of the tubular side frame members 62, 62, as shown in Figure 2, and supporting journal members 10, 10 for the idler roller I8 at the rear end of the conveyer. The side rods 61, 61 have nuts 68, 68 threaded thereon which abut the rear ends of the tubular side frame members 62, 62.

Side trough members 1| 1I are telescopically mounted relative to the hopper 65, the front ends of said trough members being slidably supported on braces 12, 12 projecting upwardly from clamps 13, 13, mounted on the tubular side frame member 62, and other braces 14 connected to the journal members 1.0. The clamps 13, 13 are supported by links 15, 15 on an upright support 16 at the rear end of the truck. The rear conveyer frame section 6| can be telescopically adjusted relative to the front or lower section 60 by screwing the nuts 68, 68 in one direction or the other.

The belt cushioning device includes a anged plate 18 hinged on a transverse shaft 19 which is supported at opposite ends in the clamps 13, 13 at opposite sides of the conveyer frame. The plate 18 extends forwardly below the belt I 6 to a point closely adjacent the drive roller I1 at the front of the machine. The front end of the plate 18 is mounted for Vertical yielding movement relative to the conveyer frame, as herein shown, this yielding movement being provided through a pair of brackets 80, 80 connected to the side flanges of plate 18 and each having a depending rod 8| with an eye 8Ia pivotally connected to its outer end and extending downwardly through a horizontal abutment 82 forming part of clamp 69 secured to the adjacent tubular side frame member 62, as shown in Figures 3 to '1, both inclusive. The two clamps 69. 69 at opposite sides of the frame are cross connected by braces 88, 88. Each of the depending rods 8l has a coil spring 89 mounted thereon in compression between the abutment 82 and a collar 90 threaded near the upper end of said rod. In the preferred form shown, the plate 18 is provided with a wearing strip 92 on its upper surface which is narrower than the plate 18 so that said Wearing strip will fit between the side plates 1|, 1,| of the rear extension member 6|, as shown in Figures 6 and 7.

An idler roller 95 is mounted on a transverse shaft 86 supported at opposite ends in a depending bracket 91 at opposite sides of the plate 18 intermediate its ends, as clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4. Said idler roller provides a tensioning supportfor the under surface of the lower or return reach of the belt I6.

The operation of the belt cushioning device iust described is as follows: When normal loads are being carried by the belt, the latter will slide along the upper surface of the wearing strip 82 but without causing substantial compression of the springs 89, 89 supporting the front end of the cushioning plate 18. When excessive loads are deposited on the front end of the conveyer belt. as by dropping excessively large lumps of material from the scoop, the cushioning plate 18 and the wearing strip 82 will be depressed to a position shown in dotted lines in Figure 4 and in full lines in Figure 7. It will be noted, however, that the idler roller moves with the hinged cushioning plate 18, so as to release tension on the lower or return reach of the belt I6, thereby compensating for the downward movement of the upper reach of the belt as it is moved into its depressed position. In this manner the belt is not only protected against excessive shocks and resulting wear due to excessive loads deposited thereon, but it is maintained at substantially uniform tension at all times.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, it will be understood that the construction thereof and the arrangement of the various parts may be altered without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not wish to be construed as limiting my invention to the specific embodiment illustrated, excepting as it may be limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a loading machine having a frame, an endless belt conveyer mounted thereon, a scoop carried on said frame and movable into position to discharge its load by gravity upon the receiving end of said belt conveyer, a cushioning plate yieldably mounted on said frame in supporting relation beneath the upper reach of said belt, and guide means mounted beneath said cushioning plate in tensioning engagement with the lower reach of said belt and movable in substantially non-yielding relation with said cushioning plate to relieve tension on said belt to compensate for yielding deflections of the upper reach of the belt with said cushioning plate.

2. In a loading machine having a frame, an endless belt conveyer mounted thereon, a scoop carried on said frame and movable into position to discharge its load by gravity upon the receiving end of said belt conveyer, a cushioning plate hinged to said frame on a transverse axis and having its free end yieldably mounted relative to said frame beneath the upper reach of said belt at its. receiving end so as to be depressed with the latter under excessive loads deposited on said belt, and guide means carried by said cushioning plate intermediate the ends of the latter in tensioning engagement with the lower reach of said conveyer belt, and movable in substantially nonyielding relation with said cushioning plate.

ANTHONY R. BIEDESS. 

